US embassy cable - 05MANAMA468

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000468 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPAO, SCUL, KMPI, KISL, KIRF, PHUM, BA 
SUBJECT: GOB PROMOTES MODERATION THROUGH ISLAMIC OUTREACH, 
CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS 
 
Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) The Bahraini government is in the process of 
launching two programs emphasizing moderation in public 
discourse and interactions.  Ministry of Islamic Affairs 
Under Secretary Dr. Fareed Al Muftah told the Embassy that he 
was reaching out to Bahrain's citizens to ensure they were 
not infected by growing "aggression and violence" in the 
teachings of some Islamic scholars.  By organizing lectures, 
seminars, and conferences, the Ministry can promote the 
concepts of tolerance, acceptance and modernity.  Al Muftah 
said he would welcome USG assistance in support of his 
program.  Ministry of Education official Khalid Al Khaja told 
us that he is working with Arab Civitas on a civic education 
curriculum for Bahrain's primary and secondary public schools 
that focuses on the constitution, separation of powers, women 
and children's rights, role of civil society, and human 
rights.  Target date for implementation is January 2006.  Al 
Khaja emphasized that the curriculum could draw from outside 
sources but must be a "very local project."  He hinted that 
the Ministry would be open to ideas on how the USG could 
provide indirect funding for the program.  These initiatives 
reflect growing GOB concern that public discourse is 
developing in an increasingly divisive way, and the 
government, through its power in the mosques and schools, is 
trying to exert leadership in determining the outcome of the 
debate.  End Summary. 
 
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Fending Off Outside Ideas About Islam 
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2.  (SBU) Newly-appointed Ministry of Islamic Affairs Under 
Secretary Dr. Fareed Al Muftah told PolEcon chief March 22 
 
SIPDIS 
that he was concerned about growing "aggression and violence" 
in the religious discourse used by some Arab Muslims in the 
region.  He said that Bahrainis are "calm and peaceful" 
people, but outside ideologies claiming to reflect the true 
path of Islam could infect them.  As a result, Al Muftah 
decided to launch an awareness and education campaign to 
demonstrate for Bahrainis that Islam's message is one of 
moderation and peace.  (Bio Note:  Al Muftah received his 
Ph.D. in Islamic studies from a university in Scotland and 
professed a love of American television and films.  End Note.) 
 
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"Ijtihad" to Modernize Islam 
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3.  (SBU) Al Muftah said that the Ministry was organizing 
lectures, seminars and conferences featuring Bahraini and 
other Arab and Muslim scholars focusing on themes of 
tolerance, acceptance, and modernity.  The Islamic concept of 
"ijtihad," or religious interpretation, requires that Muslims 
adopt a forward-looking philosophy incorporating 
international and technological developments into the 
practice of their religion.  In contrast with those who call 
for a return to Islam's golden age from the time of the 
Prophet Mohammed, Al Muftah believes that 90 percent of 
today's Islam should be open for interpretation within the 
framework of the Qur'an and the Sunna and Hadith, which 
describe Mohammed's life and practices, and only 10 percent 
based on a more rigid, literal reading of the holy books. 
 
4.  (SBU) As an example of his openness to modernity and 
technology, he stated that his wife, a teacher in a Bahraini 
public school, was a firm supporter of the U.S. GLOBE program 
focusing on environmental education and use of technology. 
He said she would travel to Lebanon shortly to participate in 
a GLOBE conference.  (Note:  This story was illuminating for 
several reasons.  Traditional Muslim men often do not speak 
directly about their wives, instead referring to their 
"families."  That his wife works outside the home and travels 
without him is unusual for a devout senior religious scholar. 
 End Note.) 
 
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Advocating Contact with Non-Muslim Religious Scholars 
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5.  (SBU) Al Muftah advocates contact with the outside, 
non-Muslim world, and recalled a conference held in Bahrain a 
few years earlier that included non-Arab Muslim, Christian, 
and Jewish religious scholars.  Although he has no specific 
plans, he thought that holding a similar conference now could 
be beneficial. 
 
6.  (SBU) Al Muftah welcomed any USG programming or support 
for his mission to promote moderate religious discourse in 
Bahrain.  He suggested study tours for Bahraini clerics in 
the U.S., USG-sponsored visits to Bahrain by speakers and 
experts on religion and Islam in America, and interfaith 
conferences, all of which would promote person-to-person 
contact. 
 
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Developing Civic Education Curriculum 
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7.  (SBU) On March 22, APAO met with Khalid Al Khaja, 
Ministry of Education Senior Specialist in Social Studies and 
a recent International Visitors Program participant, to 
discuss the March 13 Cabinet approval of a Council of 
Representatives (COR) proposal to teach human rights and 
democracy at Bahrain's public schools.  Al Khaja is 
responsible for the implementation of civic education in 
Bahraini primary and secondary public schools and is working 
with Arab Civitas, a MEPI education pillar implementer, on 
the curriculum.  He noted that MoE is coordinating with Arab 
Civitas on training teachers and developing materials in 
support of the civic education program.  The new curriculum 
will focus on the constitution, separation of powers, women 
and children's rights, role of civil society, and human 
rights.  Al Khaja acknowledged a previous Royal Decree, from 
fall 2004, mandating that political studies be taught at the 
university level, but admitted that the Ministry had not yet 
begun to address this project. 
 
8.  (SBU) Al Khaja said that teaching civic education in 
public schools is not new in Bahrain.  From 1977-1991 civic 
education was taught in public school classrooms.  In the 
early 1990s civic education was merged with social studies, 
and was eventually dissolved from the public school 
curriculum.  He did not directly comment on the reason for 
dissolving the program, but noted that this occurred during a 
time of political strife in Bahrain.  The current efforts to 
bring civic education to the classroom are not viewed as 
groundbreaking by some.  Rather, they are seen as a return to 
the pre-conflict status quo. 
 
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Program to Reflect Bahraini Values 
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9.  (SBU) The civic education program will be developed in a 
way that is "suitable for Bahrain."  Al Khaja stressed that 
Bahrain would not adopt civic education models from other 
Arab nations.  He admitted that GOB officials involved in 
civic education could benefit from the various training 
opportunities that exist in the region as well as from Arabic 
literature created on the topic.  However, civic education 
will remain "a very local project."  The Ministry is 
reviewing books on civic education to ensure that they adhere 
to Bahraini culture and customs.  The fact that the books are 
in Arabic is not enough.  They must reflect a local flavor. 
Al Khaja is hopeful that civic education will be implemented 
in the classroom by January 2006.  However, he warned that 
the program is currently facing financial difficulties 
because of the fear on the part of the Ministry to accept 
foreign funding directly.  Al Khaja hinted that the Minister 
would be open to ideas on how to fund the program indirectly, 
without money being exchanged with the Ministry. 
 
10.  (SBU) Turning to the COR proposal, Al Khaja said that 
the Ministry's vision is to teach human rights and democracy 
in primary schools in a broad context rather than as 
individual subjects.  For example, children's rights can be 
taught in the context of family values and issues.  Civic 
responsibility can be taught in the context of community 
service. 
 
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Comment 
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11.  (C) The outreach program by the Ministry of Islamic 
Affairs and the plan to teach civic education in public 
schools reflect the government's desire to reinforce 
Bahrain's traditional openness and moderation.  Many 
Bahrainis perceive that public discourse is developing in an 
increasingly divisive way, and the government, through its 
power in the mosques and schools, is trying to determine the 
outcome of the debate.  That said, there are some within the 
Ministry of Education who believe that implementing the "new" 
civic education curriculum could raise difficult questions 
among young students about sectarianism and could conflict 
with traditional family values.  We believe there is an 
opportunity for MEPI and other USG programs to support these 
initiatives.  We will develop our ideas and welcome 
Washington's input on possible next steps. 
 
MONROE